EMPTYING THE NOGGIN – The Jazz win in LA again !!!!!

Emptying the Noggin
• Solid win for the Jazz. I was most impressed by the amount of times the jazz took a blow and fired back with the answer. They were unflappable tonight. The Lakers had a few runs but the Jazz never lost control of the game. The Jazz started 8-0 and never really lost control of the game.

• The Lakers lead after 1 and then Enes Kanter, Jamaal Tinsley and DeMarre Carrol changed the game with energy and aggression. Kanter was very good abusing Jordan Hill and taking control of the game. Carroll’s defensive energy was great and I don’t know how Tinsley does it anymore but he does. He is so patient offensively and he makes the team so much better. He gets guys good shots, he understands possessions and how they unfold and he is surviving defensively.

• Paul Millsap has busted out of his slump and was terrific. 24 points, 9 rebounds and 2 assists in 39 minutes. He has played really well the last few games. The Derrick Favors injury may have happened at the right time for Paul it let him play through his struggles and he is playing with aggression.

• The ball movement was terrific again tonight. The offensive over the last 5 games has been amazing. They are shooting some where near 51% as a team 47% from three and nearly 80% from the line in the last 5 games. Those numbers are estimates.

• 8 guys had assists tonight and 7 of them had more than 2. This is key to the team. If they move the ball with the amount of above average offensive players this can be a very very good offensive team.

• The Lakers have major turnover problems and the Jazz took advantage and got out in the open floor off the turnovers. The Jazz had 25 points off 14 turnovers. That is crazy high. The Lakers transition defense is very poor and the Jazz ran by them the entire night.

• Jazz have not lost a game where they won points in the paint and they did it again with a huge 54 to 34 points in the paint advantage. That was both in the open floor and Kanter and Sap getting buckets at the basket.

• The first quarter Jazz took 21 shots from the starters – Millsap and Jefferson had 5, Williams and Foye had 4 and Marvin had 3 – that is balance.

• Kanter played as well as he has played all year. The confidence he gained from the Toronto game clearly impacted his ability to play tonight. His second quarter was 4/4 with 8 points and 3 rebounds. Then he was just as good when he returned in the 4th quarter

• Kobe tried to take over the game in the 3rd quarter to will his team back into the game. He finished with 14 in the quarter and he was terrific however, the Jazz got 10 from Millsap and 8 from Mo and only lost the third quarter 34-28. Kobe never checked out of the game in the 2nd half and went 2 for 7 in the 4th quarter. Gordon and DeMarre and Randy made him work very hard for the entire night. The Lakers can’t play him 40+ every night. They are panicking and doing illogical things to try to muster wins.

• Gordon lead the Jazz with 8 4th quarter points.

• The Jazz +/- kings were at it again tonight – DeMarre Carroll +15 and Jamall Tinsley +11.

• I closed Emptying the Noggin after the Raptors game saying that win would have lingering after effects. We saw that tonight and this one will as well. This is a huge week and the Jazz have started it out on the perfect foot. Two huge home games this week come out and support the team.